Freight handler dies under machinery at cargo facility

An air freight handler died Monday, May 15th, shortly after he was found beneath machinery at a cargo facility at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), according to Los Angeles City Fire Department (LAFD) officials.

Six companies of Los Angeles city firefighters and one LAFD rescue ambulance were called at 10:22 a.m. to a large Qantas air freight handling site on the south side of the airport, near 6555 Imperial Highway.

Paramedics discovered the worker, who initially appeared trapped by machinery, at the base of a multilevel cargo pod storage rack, fire department spokesman Brian Humphrey said.

The man, identified by the county coroner as Carlos Carias, 54, of Los Angeles, was found inverted and not breathing, with his legs askew and his chin to his chest, Humphrey said.

Bystanders said Carias, an employee of Menzies Distribution, had been seen “no more than five minutes” before, but there were no witnesses to the incident, Humphrey said.

Carias, who had significant oral and nasal hemorrhage, displayed no signs of major trauma, other than a bruise across the upper chest and minor lacerations to his hands, Humphrey said.

Carias was taken to Centinela Freeman Regional Medical Center in Inglewood, where he was pronounced dead a short time later, Humphrey said.

An autopsy will be conducted to determine the cause of death.

There were no other injuries.

Airport officials said the incident had no effect on airport operations.

Officials from the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal-OSHA) are investigating the incident as a workplace fatality.